The present invention relates to an information processing device for and method of displaying a text or image corresponding to information obtained by way of a specific communications channel or from a specific storage medium.
Referring next to FIG. 1, there is illustrated a block diagram showing a prior art information processing device as disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Publication (TOKKAIHEI) No.10-98706. In the figure, reference numeral 101 denotes multimedia terminal equipment comprised of a receiver 102 for use with a unidirectional broadcasting system and a terminal device 104 for use with a bidirectional communications- system, the receiver 102 and the terminal device 104 being connected to each other by way of local communications links 105.
The receiver 102 of the multimedia terminal equipment 101 consists of a microprocessor 106 for controlling the operation of the receiver 102, a storage device 107 such as a semiconductor memory, a display device 108 such as a CRT, a receiving unit 109 for receiving MPEG or DAB data 112 transmitted thereto through a television network disposed as one communications network 111, and so on. An application program 110 to be processed by the microprocessor 106 is stored in a given storage unit of the receiver 102. Reference numeral 114 denotes an agent that is to be executed under the application program 110. The terminal device 104 is a terminal for use with a bidirectional communications system such as a GSM telephone network included with a digital cellular communications network 103 disposed as one communications network 111.
Next, a description will be made as to the operation of the prior art information processing device.
The receiving unit 109 of the receiver 102 receives data 112 transmitted thereto. The received data 112 is then stored in the storage device 107 and is analyzed according to the application program 110 by the microprocessor 106. Information corresponding to the data is then displayed on the screen of the display device 108.
When the user who recognizes the information displayed on the screen of the display device 108 wants to acquire or retrieve other information associated with the on-screen information, the user can manipulate the terminal device 104. The terminal device 104 can retrieve the other information associated-with the on-screen information through the digital cellular communications network 103 disposed as one communications network 111 according to the user""s manipulation. The retrieved information is then furnished, by way of a local communications link 105, to the receiver 102, and is displayed on the screen of the display device 108.
The microprocessor 106 checks resources such as the storage device 107 and the terminal device 104. When the microprocessor 106 determines that it is difficult to reserve sufficient resources required to perform a certain process, it displays the fact, as a warning for the user, on the screen of the display device 108.
Since a prior art information processing device is constructed as above, the problem has arisen that when the user wants to retrieve information associated with the on-screen information even though it is difficult to use the terminal device 104, the user has to perform complicated manipulations according to a warning on-screen. Even though the user turns off the terminal device 104 or does not use it with intention not to use it, the user has to perform complicated manipulations according to a warning on-screen.
The present invention is proposed to solve the above problem of the prior art and has the object of providing an information processing device and method capable of determining whether or not it is difficult to use a terminal device in advance when retrieving information associated with on-screen information, and allowing a user to manipulate and cause the information processing device to retrieve the information associated with the on-screen information only if the terminal device is available, thus preventing the user from performing extra manipulations when the terminal device is not available, such as when the user turns off or does not use the terminal device with intention not to use it.
In accordance with a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an information processing device that determines whether or not information can be transmitted or received through a transmit/receive means for transmitting or receiving information by way of a second predetermined communications channel, provides guidance on manipulation to cause the transmit/receive means to transmit or receive information for a user only if information can be transmitted or received through the transmit/receive means, and controls the transmit/receive means according to the user""s manipulation to retrieve second information associated with first information by way of the second communications channel. Accordingly, when the transmit/receive means is not available, the information processing device does not provide guidance on manipulation to cause the transmit/receive means to retrieve the second information for a user. The information processing device therefore makes it possible to prevent the user from performing extra manipulations when the transmit/receive means is not available, such as when the user intends not to use the transmit/receive means.
In accordance with a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided an information processing device that determines whether or not information can be transmitted or received through a transmit/receive means for transmitting or receiving information by way of a second predetermined communications channel, when displaying a text or image corresponding to information indicating a storage location where second information included with and associated with first information is stored on a display, displays the text or image corresponding to the information indicating the storage location where the second information is stored in a first predetermined format unless information can be transmitted or received through the transmit/receive means, displays the text or image corresponding to the information indicating the storage location where the second information is stored in a second predetermined format different from the first format otherwise, and ,when the text or image displayed in the second format is selected, controls the transmit/receive means to retrieve the second information based on the information indicating the storage location corresponding to the selected text or image. Accordingly, when the transmit/receive means is not available, the information processing device does not provide guidance on manipulation to cause the transmit/receive means to retrieve the second information for a user. The information processing device therefore makes it possible to prevent the user from performing extra manipulations when the transmit/receive means is not available, such as when the user intends not to use the transmit/receive means.
In accordance with a third aspect of the present invention, the information processing device receives the first information transmitted thereto by a digital broadcast disposed as the first communications channel, and transmits or receives information by way of a digital mobile telephone network disposed as the second communications channel. In this way, the information processing device can retrieve information by way of the radio communications channels. It is therefore possible to mount the information processing device on a motor vehicle.
In accordance with a fourth aspect of the present invention, the information processing device processes the first and second information written in Hyper, Text Markup Language or HTML. When information can be transmitted or received through the transmit/receive means, the second information is displayed in a format which is the same as that of a hypertext link defined by HTML. In this way, since the information processing device can process information written in HTML, the information processing device can provide information stored in any WWW site for the user.
In accordance with a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided an information processing method including the steps of determining whether or not information can be transmitted or received through a transmit/receive means for transmitting or receiving information by way of a second predetermined communications channel, providing guidance on manipulation to cause the transmit/receive means to transmit or receive information for a user only if information can be transmitted or received through the transmit/receive means, and controlling the transmit/receive means according to the user""s manipulation to retrieve second information associated with the first information by way of the second communications channel. Accordingly, when the transmit/receive means is not available, the information processing method does not provide guidance on manipulation to cause the transmit/receive means to retrieve the second information for a user. The information processing method therefore makes it possible to prevent the user from performing extra manipulations when the transmit/receive means is not available, such as when the user intends not to use the transmit/receive means.